


Next Best Thing

by amassivehomosexual



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 18:38:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7652392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amassivehomosexual/pseuds/amassivehomosexual
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Keith thinks Lance is settling for him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Next Best Thing

**Author's Note:**

> Klangst fuels me..

Keith is a little naive, but he’s not stupid. He knows pickings are slim in this castle. He knows Allura was Lance’s first option, and he only gave up after she made herself explicitly unattainable. He knows Lance is usually filled with adrenaline when they interact–whether it’s from a battle or an argument–and that this has a major effect on their relationship. He knows Lance chased after women back on Earth. He knows he’s just the second, third, fourth best thing and he knows he’s just what’s available. Still, knowing all this, he’s elated when Lance kisses him for the first time.

 

Lance still flirts with alien beauties he’ll never have a chance with, and Keith didn’t expect anything less from him. This is just temporary, after all. Lance is a hot-blooded young man with a need to please (and, sometimes, to be pleased). He’s more of a romantic than the girls in the lovey dovey movies Hunk is so fond of. He’d probably explode if he had no outlet for his affection. Keith knows this.

 

Keith tells himself he’s prepared for the day when Lance leaves for bigger and better things. He’s too charismatic to be happy with Keith for long. He’s played the conversation they’re going to have over and over in his mind, the one where they return to Earth and Lance confesses that he’s remembered the joys of being surrounded by women. Keith has memorized a script he’s ready to recite that will make him come off as cool and collected as always. He knows he’s going to be just an embarrassing blip in Lance’s memories.

 

Still, late at night with Lance snoring and drooling next to him, he worries. He doesn’t have a whole lot in his life aside from Lance. 

 

There’s a celebration when they arrive back on Earth. It’s more of a homecoming than anything else; the gravity of the situation was never fully realized here. But their friends and families are there, and that’s what really matters to everyone. Keith is introduced to Lance’s family (Lance doesn’t use a label, doesn’t call him his boyfriend or anything–Keith tries not to read too much into this) and he has his hand shaken by countless teary relatives thanking him for taking care of their son, nephew, whatever. It’s heartwarming, really. It eases the icy cold settled in the pit of Keith’s gut.

 

Keith is a little uncomfortable being surrounded by Lance’s large, loud, boisterous family, so he eventually slinks off to find Shiro. He’s talking with Pidge’s family; Keith has never seen a mother look more relieved. Keith sidles up next to Shiro and is greeted with a gentle smile. Pidge hastily introduces him to their mother, and Keith lets his shoulders relax. 

 

Keith doesn’t see Lance for a while, not until he heads over to the bar to get drinks for Shiro and himself. Lance is, of course, talking to a beautiful woman, his head thrown back in laughter, voice carrying across the room. Keith tries to ignore the knot twisting in his stomach and sends a friendly wave. Lance winks at him. Keith turns his head to hide the flush rising to his cheeks. He takes the two bottles of beer he requested and hurries back to Shiro’s side. He doesn’t want to face Lance, not yet. 

 

Shiro can tell something is wrong immediately. He takes his drink and places his other hand between Keith’s shoulder blades. “What’s up?” he asks, quietly enough so the Holts can’t hear him.

 

“It’s nothing,” Keith lies, but he sees Shiro looking around for Lance anyway. When he spots him with the woman, he sighs and gives Keith a stern look.

 

“You need to talk to him.”

 

“It’ll be fine.”

 

Shiro frowns. “You’re not fine, Keith.”

 

“It’s okay,” Keith assures him with a humorless chuckle. “I knew from the beginning.”

 

“Knew what?” Keith freezes at the voice. “That I was the most handsome specimen you’d ever set eyes on?”

 

“Lance!” Pidge grins and turns to their mother. “He’s the annoying one I was talking about.”

 

“Hey!”

 

Shiro raises his eyebrows at Keith one more time while Lance is distracted. Keith pretends not to see. Soon, Lance is back at his side, and Keith can’t stop himself from leaning into his touch. He’s gotten used to taking what he can get.

 

“Can I steal you away for a bit?” Lance whispers into his ear. Keith nods and lets himself be steered away, out of the building and into the warm summer night. It’s strange to hear crickets again, but it comforts Keith.

 

“You can’t see as many stars from here,” Lance says. His hands are in his pockets. Keith imitates the posture.

 

“Well, light pollution.”

 

“Thanks for the enlightenment.” Sarcasm drips from Lance’s voice. He seems to hesitate for a moment, then blurts out, “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

 

Keith searches for his carefully crafted speech but comes up blank. He’s frozen in place, eyes on the ground. “Okay,” he manages to croak.

 

“I probably should have brought this up earlier,” Lance confesses. “I mean, this isn’t very good timing, I know…” He rubs at the back of his neck and looks up at the sky again. 

 

Keith hums. He’s not sure if he can speak.

 

Lance laughs, clearly nervous. “This is so sudden, I’m sorry, I really should have thought this through better, but–”

 

“Lance,” Keith snaps. “I get it. Don’t–” His voice cracks, so he swallows and tries again. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

 

“What? Buddy, what are you–are you crying?” 

 

Keith looks up to meet Lance’s shocked expression, surprised when he’s blurry. “Fuck,” he grumbles, wiping at his face. “Sorry, I thought…” He hiccups. “I thought I’d be better about this.”

 

Lance frames Keith’s face with his hands, brushing beneath his watery eyes with his thumbs. “Better about what? Keith, what’s wrong?”

 

“What do you mean, ‘what’s wrong?’” Keith says, pretending to himself that it doesn’t come out as a sob. He grabs Lance’s wrists, but doesn’t pull his hands away. “That’s cruel, you can’t think breaking up with me isn’t going to–”

 

“Wait, what?” Lance’s hands tense on Keith’s face, eyes widening. “Babe, I’m not breaking up with you!”

 

Keith furrows his brow and meets Lance’s eyes again. “Wh...huh?”

 

Lance laughs again, a little hysterically. “I’m sorry, oh my God, I, uh, I was just going to ask if you wanted to live together, I didn’t think you’d think…!”

 

“You...what?” Keith sniffles. “But, but there’s girls, you don’t have to settle for me anymore.”

 

“Keith, you massive idiot,” Lance chuckles. He pulls him into a crushing hug. “How big of a jerk do you think I am?”

 

“I  _ know _ you’re an asshole.”

 

“Rude!”

 

Keith makes a fist in the fabric of Lance’s shirt. “You’re always flirting with women,” he mumbles into Lance’s shoulder.

 

“Oh.” Lance runs his fingers through the back of Keith’s hair. “I don’t mean it…I’ll stop. I didn’t know it bothered you so much.” He chuckles a little. “I just like seeing you jealous, I’m sorry.”

 

Keith sniffs one more time and pulls back to look at Lance’s face. “Are you sure?”

 

“I love you, Keith. Like you’re anything anyone would have to settle for, anyway,” he says with a grin. Keith smiles weakly and pulls him into a kiss.

 

For a while, they just stand together, absorbing each other’s warmth as the air gets colder. 

 

“Sooo,” Lance drawls, “does this mean you want to live together or…”

 

Keith snorts and hugs Lance a little tighter. “Of course I do. If you’re sure.”

 

“For God’s sake, Keith, yes I’m sure!”

 

Keith thinks he might be a little stupid after all.


End file.
